VISAKHAPATNAM: Despite the academic year starting two months ago, 81 children from several hilltop tribal villages in Anakapalle district have remained without access to formal education due to the delayed renewal of the Non-Residential Special Training Centres (NRSTCs) for 2024-25.
The affected hilltop villages include Buddepadu in Golugonda mandal, Anuku in Kotauratla, Mitrasi Colony in Mungapaka, and Pitrugedda in Rolugunta.
The NRSTCs, crucial for providing primary education to children living in remote villages, are normally renewed annually. However, the training centres have not been reopened yet this year, leaving the tribal children without regular classes.
Tribals deplore undue delay in renewal of training centre
Although these children are enrolled in a mandal-level school, and continue to receive mid-day meals, the lack of appointed teachers due to the pending renewal of NRSTCs, has left them without access to education for the past two months. The situation has sparked concern among the tribal communities, leading to protests.
On Saturday, tribals of Pitrugedda and Neellabandha, two hilltop villages in Arla panchayat, staged a protest, urging the authorities to renew the NRSTC in Pitrugedda. These villages are home to 15 families, with 12 children in the age group of 5-10 years. For these children, attending school means a demanding 20 km round trip to Arla, the nearest village with a functioning school. Last year, after several appeals, a training centre and a teacher were allotted to Pitrugedda. Tribal leader K Govind Rao led the protest. Parents of the affected children expressed their concern over the undue delay in renewing the NRSTC.
“It has been two months since the academic year started, but the centre has not been renewed. Our children are receiving mid-day meals, but they are not getting education. We plead with the authorities to renew the NRSTC, so that our children can continue their basic education,” said Kilo Raju, a parent. Another parent Marri Sanyasi Rao said, “We are even ready to construct a road to our village through ‘Shramdaan’ to ensure that the teacher can commute easily if one is appointed.”